Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site

At the Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site, campers can learn the story of Martin Luther King, Jr. as young boy who grew up in a time of segregation and dreamer who was moved by destiny into leadership of the modern civil rights movement. They can visit the home of his birth, where he played as a child, walk in his footsteps, and hear his voice in the church where he moved hearts and minds. The Peace Plaza within the park, includes the beautifully landscaped Martin Luther King, Jr. "I Have a Dream" World Peace Rose Garden, messages of peace composed by students from local Atlanta schools, a flowing water fountain, and the "BEHOLD" statue. Visiting camp groups can participate in the A Day On, Not A Day Off puppet show about the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; the Yesterday Heroes puppet show about the contributions of African American men and women in the fields of science, industry, education, and the arts; or the Auburn Avenue, A Street of Pride puppet show about how Auburn Avenue became "the richest Negro street in America". Reservations for programs must be made 30 days in advance.

Museums Fun Facts

Museums are collections - of artifacts, paintings, etc. Talk about what types of collections campers have at home – be they stamps, baseball cards, or other items.

Use this comparison to frame some activities: talk about how museum collections came to be. Who collected and gathered the items on display? Compare this to how campers gathered their own collections at home. Also talk about (both with campers and museum staff) how the exhibits at the museum are arranged – such as the lighting and temperature for a certain exhibit.

Have campers set up a “Trip Museum” back at camp, consisting of items they’ve obtained on field trips; think of it as a group show and tell, where everyone participates and contributes to the collection.